The Board of Trustees of the Indian Community School Kuwait have been dismissed by the sponsor after irreconcilable differences between the two sides erupted last week

Differences first came to light last month when the board was locked out of the school boardroom and the chairman was put in charge of forming an investigation committee to look into charges levelled against members of the board by several Indian community members.

The board got a brief reprieve when they were allowed back into the boardroom with the stipulation that they conduct an impartial investigation into the charges brought against them. However, the board chose to ignore the conditions under which they were allowed in and instead accused the sponsor of attempting to take over the school. This has now led to the sponsor getting a court order dismissing the entire school board.

Indian Ambassador H.E. Sunil Jain, who has received numerous petitions and complaints against the board and the lack of transparency in the functioning of the community school, expressed dismay at the recent happenings.

After the board, along with some members of the school’s Council of Elders, approached him to intervene on behalf of the community school, Ambassador Jain expressed his desire for an amicable solution to be found at the earliest.

Though the board claims to be representing the community they have functioned undemocratically and were often violating provisions laid down in the school’s constitution.

According to the board, at the center of their dispute with the sponsor is the piece of land given by the Kuwaiti government for the construction of the community school.

But members of the community feel that with more than KD2.8 million in its coffers and no transparency, the board is running the school as its personal fiefdom. This, they say, is the real reason why the board resisted an independent audit which would have unearthed many of the serious financial violations that have taken place.

The sponsor has already inducted a five-member committee from the Indian community to investigate all allegations. The sponsor claims he has no intention to take over the school and on the contrary is only looking for good governance in the functioning of the school.

The dismissed board has taken to legal recourse and are desperately trying to come back. However several community organisations have also begun meetings to prop up a new board representing the community.

Ambassador Jain told The Times Kuwait that the community must come forward and resolve this issue in its own interest. The embassy will support all efforts undertaken by the community and that the best interest of the students and teachers should be kept in mind.

In answer to the apprehension expressed by some community members about the money in the school’s account, the ambassador said that the sponsor had assured him that he had no interest in the money and that all he wanted was for the school to be operated professionally and transparently.

A prominent member of the community told The Times Kuwait that this is the third sponsor in the last 20 years and it is obvious that every time a scandal erupts in the school the sponsor is blamed and changed.

The constitution of the school clearly defines the role of the sponsor and that of the board members and the council of elders in the functioning of the school. The community also believes that the constitution is being kept as a secret document, away from public perusal, as it would further expose wrongdoings of the board.

The posts on the board and council of elders are honorary and for a fixed term; however, by continuing in their posts beyond their tenure, the board has given rise to suspicion about the true intent of their claims of serving the community.

The Indian community has several capable and prominent individuals who are able to be inducted to run the affairs of the school. However the present board insists on retaining their posts contrary to the wishes of the community.

If so , The Embassy should take charge of the school , Not the sponser who obviously will not be as intrested as the Embassy towards the welfare of Indians. Its pathatic situation when some ppl still want the community school to be taken over by an external Person

ravindran

Posted on : May 02, 2016 6:30 am

The school is unfortunately is in the hands of cronies with no schooling behind them. Teachers and Principals the honest ones are booted out and persons who can't differentiate between you and me are appointed to serve the money laundering. The sponsor did right. Even one feels of some elements involved from the embassy in all these. If not why no investgation all these years ?
settlements of teachers done arbitrarily depriving them of their hard earned money. MHRD delhi is aware of the latest developments.

Hary Paul

Posted on : May 01, 2016 10:19 pm

Only solution if Indian Embassy takes over the control and hire professionals to run the day to day business of the school. God knows who is telling the truth. Every sensible person will accept the idea.